By IANS
Kathmandu : A Pakistani has been caught with over Nepali Rs.10 million worth Indian notes stashed in soap cartons from the airport here, months after the manager of well known Pakistani band Jal was jailed here for carrying contraband currency.
Abdul Wahab, who had arrived either from Islamabad or Karachi on a Pakistan International Airlines flight at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport Monday afternoon, was arrested by airport police after he tried to sail out through the green channel with cartons of English Leather soap crammed with 500 and 1,000 Indian rupee notes.
More than five years ago, Nepal banned the use of Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes in a bid to prevent the circulation of fake Indian currency from Nepal as well as prevent the routing of funds through Nepal by extremist organisations for fuelling terrorist activities in India and elsewhere.
It was not known immediately if the notes in the cartons were counterfeit.
However, even if they are genuine, carrying them is a punishable offence in Nepal.
Nepal's revenue officials said even carrying Indian currency notes of lesser denomination is a punishable offence unless the person carrying the money is Indian or Nepali.
Wahab, who has been detained for interrogation, is denying that the cartons were in his possession.
He told the airport police that the boxes belonged to someone else.
Earlier, when Jal had come to perform in Kathmandu, its manager was arrested for carrying the banned Indian notes and jailed. He left Nepal immediately after he was released on bail.
There is a high level of ignorance amongst Indian and other nationals about Nepal's currency regulations, causing them to land in trouble.
In the past, an Indian businesswoman from New Delhi was arrested at the airport for carrying 500 rupee notes.